Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,870 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,625 per month in Medicine Hat vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Medicine Hat is about 9% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medicine Hat and Montreal sit above the global median – Medicine Hat by 40%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 CA$21.65

$15.92 CA$22.14

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.2

$73.1 CA$102

-2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CA$11.35

$11.15 CA$15.50

-26.82%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.17

$3.80 CA$5.29

-2.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.18 CA$3.03

-8.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.46 CA$2.03

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$6.12 CA$8.51

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.47

$6.78 CA$9.42

-42.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$2.33 CA$3.24

-33.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$3.39 CA$4.72

-46.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$3.73 CA$5.19

-8.31%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$3.38 CA$4.70

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 CA$11.37

$16.25 CA$22.60

-49.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 CA$15.65

$11.54 CA$16.05

-2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$15.24 CA$21.19

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$3.74 CA$5.20

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.70 CA$2.37

-21.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$4.11 CA$5.71

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$4.35 CA$6.05

-23.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$2.71 CA$3.76

-45.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.62 CA$3.64

-41.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$2.25 CA$3.13

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.73 CA$2.40

-9.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CA$16.32

$13.31 CA$18.51

-11.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$10.78 CA$15.00

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$3.01 CA$4.19

-12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$3.46 CA$4.82

5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$2.74 CA$3.81

-14.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$70.9

$72.7 CA$101

-29.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.99

$3.63 CA$5.05

-1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.46 CA$2.03

-10.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 CA$40.60

$33.44 CA$46.50

-12.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.21 CA$1.69

-12.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

2.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$212 CA$295

$76.0 CA$106

179.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.51 CA$57.7

$35.72 CA$49.68

16.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$82.1

$42.86 CA$59.6

37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$42.92 CA$59.7

33.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.53 CA$52.2

$17.23 CA$23.97

117.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.07

$11.09 CA$15.42

10.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$877 CA$1,220

$620 CA$862

41.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.0K

$5,834 CA$8,114

170.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$62.7 CA$87.1

-15.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 CA$38.67

$44.41 CA$61.8

-37.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 CA$96.4

$101 CA$140

-31.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 CA$97.3

$119 CA$166

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 CA$1,134

$1,211 CA$1,684

-32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,016

$960 CA$1,334

-23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,955

$2,035 CA$2,831

-30.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,670

$1,589 CA$2,210

-24.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 CA$1,907

$5,181 CA$7,205

-73.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 CA$2,742

$3,934 CA$5,470

-49.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,168

$2,960 CA$4,116

1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.01

13.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Medicine Hat versus $1,211 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Medicine Hat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Medicine Hat versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $392 – making Medicine Hat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medicine Hat vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 10% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,805 per month in Medicine Hat and $3,094 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,870 in Medicine Hat and $2,063 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medicine Hat costs $1,870 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medicine Hat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.